February 22, 2025 – Rapper Tyga is reeling from the devastating loss of his mother, Pasionaye Nicole Nguyen, who passed away on January 18, 2025, at just 53 years old. The “Rack City” star, whose real name is Michael Ray Stevenson, broke the news to his fans yesterday on X, sharing a gut-wrenching tribute that’s left everyone feeling his pain.
In a post that hit hard, Tyga laid bare his grief with words that cut deep:
“I been trying to understand and process why God takes the most meaningful and most beautiful people away from us. But I know I’ll never get an answer that will fill the emptiness in my heart. Can’t imagine life without you by my side.”
He went on to call Pasionaye
“the best and most supportive person in my life,”
saying she was the one who always picked him up when he was down. Alongside the words, he shared a slideshow of photos—some from happier times, others from what looks like her final days in the hospital.
“I LOVE YOU SO MUCH,”
he wrote, promising they’d be together again someday.
“Save me a spot right next to you in paradise .”
Pasionaye wasn’t a celebrity herself, but she was the rock behind Tyga’s rise. Born on September 11, 1971, in Los Angeles to a Vietnamese mom, Kim Nguyen, and an African-American dad, she grew up in a world that wasn’t always easy. She raised Tyga solo after his father, Nguyen-Stevenson, got locked up for life, leaving her to figure it all out on her own. She worked hard—doing nails, cleaning houses—whatever it took to keep food on the table. Tyga’s never been shy about giving her credit, saying she’s the reason he made it big. You can hear her influence in his music, like in “Dad’s Letter” from 2013, where he raps about growing up without his pops.
Her life had its rough patches, too. She was married to Nguyen-Stevenson. Tyga’s got her name inked on him, a permanent shoutout to the woman who held it down.
We don’t know exactly what took Pasionaye from us—one of the pics Tyga posted shows her in a hospital bed on January 11, hinting she might’ve been sick. He didn’t say much about that, just wrote,
“You took one of your best angels back GOD,”
like he’s still trying to wrap his head around it. There’s a shot from what seems like a small memorial, too, with flowers and her name—Pasionaye Nicole Nguyen, 9/11/71 – 1/18/25—etched in memory.
The response online has been huge. Fans are flooding his post with love, and big names like 2 Chainz and Big Sean dropped in to say they’re sorry for his loss.
“Stay strong, bro,”
2 Chainz commented, summing up what everyone’s feeling. It’s clear Pasionaye meant the world to a lot of people, even if she stayed out of the limelight.
She was Vietnamese and Black, a mom who poured everything into her son, and now Tyga’s vowing to keep her alive in everything he does.
“I Love you forever mom,”
he signed off,
“and I’ll do my best to celebrate you with every moment that I have left.”
It’s a promise that hits you right in the chest—a son’s way of saying goodbye to the woman who gave him everything.
